A Manitoba teenager's brain cancer battle is getting sweet support from a community bakery

A Manitoba teenager's dream of dining in Parisian cafes is about to come true.

Emma Chamberlain was diagnosed with brain cancer in late 2022 after an MRI revealed a mass. 14-year-old Morden, Man. brain surgery, waves of chemotherapy to fight the disease.

Now he's gearing up for the ride of a lifetime with The Dream Factory.

The organization works with children facing life-threatening illnesses and makes their dreams come true – like vacations, tickets to sporting events or even meeting a famous idol.

On Saturday, The Dream Factory Exchange teamed up with District Pharmacy and Greencrest Pharmacy to host a Big Bake Sale in Emma's honor.

An assortment of cookies, doughnuts, cakes and other baked goods were purchased at the Central Corydon Community Centre, with all proceeds funding Chamberlain's trip to France later this month.

More than 30 local businesses had sales and more than $15,000 had been raised by midday Saturday.

“That's a lot!” When Chamberlain heard how much money had been raised, he expressed his gratitude for all the support.

“We've had a lot of people come from Morden that we didn't expect,” said her mother, Laurel Chamberlain. “People we don't know have come, which is amazing because they've shown us support and love.”

Chamberlain first learned about The Dream Factory from one of her nurses and said it wasn't hard to come up with the idea for the trip.

“I speak French and I've always wanted to go there,” she explained. “Oh, and good food!”

Organizer Lauren Zadorozny, a paramedic and pharmacy assistant, said the Big Bake Sale was a great fundraiser for Chamberlain.

“He wanted to see some local restaurants in Paris and try some bakeries, so we thought we'd bring Paris to him,” Zadorozny said.

The Big Bake Sale is becoming a mainstay for The Dream Factory and its pharmacy partners. Last year, the team raised more than $10,000 for another Manitoba teenager's dream of going to Australia. Zadorozny said he was forced to move to a larger venue this year due to growing support.

“We wanted to be more inclusive this year — we wanted sweet and savory (desserts),” she explained.

In addition to sampling French cuisine, Chamberlain said she is looking forward to sightseeing, browsing the markets and taking a day trip to London.